2007 FIM Superbike World Championship Valencia, Spain April 14, 2007 Superpole Results (wet conditions): 1. Troy BAYLISS (Duc 999F07), 1:51.982 2. Ruben XAUS (Duc 999F06), 1:52.085 3. Josh BROOKES (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:52.199 4. Troy CORSER (Yam YZF-R1), 1:52.733 5. James TOSELAND (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:52.801 6. Lorenzo LANZI (Duc 999F07), 1:52.942 7. Noriyuki HAGA (Yam YZF-R1), 1:52.961 8. Yukio KAGAYAMA (Suz GSX-R1000K7), 1:53.634 9. Michel FABRIZIO (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:53.750 10. Karl MUGGERIDGE (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:54.108 11. Giovanni BUSSEI (Duc 999F06), 1:54.972 12. Max BIAGGI (Suz GSX-R1000K7), 1:55.196 13. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Suz GSX-R1000K6), 1:55.965 14. Fonsi NIETO (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:56.275 15. Regis LACONI (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:56.332 16. Carmelo MORALES (Yam YZF-R1), 1:57.498 17. Roberto ROLFO (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:36.455 18. Shinichi NAKATOMI (Yam YZF-R1), 1:36.755 19. Christian ZAISER (MV Agusta F4-1000R 312), 1:36.757 20. Jakub SMRZ (Duc 999F05), 1:37.344 21. Steve MARTIN (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:37.403 22. Luca MORELLI (Duc 999RS), 1:37.653 23. Dean ELLISON (Duc 999RS), 1:39.434 More, from a press release issued by Team YZF Yamaha: Practice disturbed by the rain While the weather is beautiful in most of Europe, the Valencia area was very wet and it made the practice difficult. Shinichi Nakatomi qualified in 18th position. The weather changing very often made the practice complicated for all the teams. Shinichi Nakatomi, who did some testing here at Valencia on the dry, had some difficulties to adapt to the conditions. Troy Bayliss, who was hurt during the previous race at Donington, did a great achievement when he ended up in pole position. Ruben Xaus, who knows quite well the track and the weather here, was a superb second in front of Joshua Brooks. The Yamaha riders Troy Corser and Noriyuki Haga qualified 4th and 7th. Martial Garcia (team-manager): “We came here to test some choices concerning the frame and the engine. For instance, we tried a new swinging arm. Unfortunately, the bad weather did not allow us to confirm our choices. Beside that, we do not have traction control, which a big handicap when it rains.” Qualifying results: 1-Bayliss (Ducati), 2-Xaus (Ducati), 3-Brooks (Honda), 4-Corser (Yamaha), 5-Toseland (Honda) –¦ 18-Nakatomi (Yamaha) World Championship standings: 1-Toseland (Honda) 115 points, 2-Biaggi (Suzuki) 110, 3-Haga (Yamaha) 88, 4-Corser (Yamaha) 81, 5-Lanzi (Ducati) — ¦18-Nakatomi (Yamaha) 12 More, from a press release issued by Scuderia SC Caracchi: THE RAIN RUINS VALENCIA PRACTICE FINAL DAY (Valencia 2007, April 14) The constant and persistent rain ruined the final practice day at Valencia. The wet track prevent to all the competitors to improve the result recorded in yesterday’s qualifying, as the starting grids have been established by yesterday’s results, excluding of course the Superbike where the today’s Superpole session draw the first four rows of the grid. In Supersport Gianluca Nannelli held the second row starting position. During today’s sessions the main job has been focused looking a godd set up for wet condition, also looking for the rain that weather forecast says for the Sunday. Nannelli confirmed his good feeling with the wet track and ended quite satisfied the practice day, working with method joint to the team on 749R Ducati’s setting. “Today we focused looking for the best set up on wet track.” confirmed at the end of the day Gianluca Nannelli. “We found a good package, working at the suspensions and the bike’s handling, and we recorded good lap times both in the morning as well in the afternoon’s session, with the track flooded. However, as at the end I’m riding well also in the wet, to run under the rain it’s always a lottery and I don’t like it too much. Of course we let the spare bike set for dry and the final setting could be made just after tomorrow’s warm up session, hoping that the weather will not make us a final joke changing the track condition between the morning’s warm up and the afternoon’s race.” Big job for the Superbike crew after the bad crash of Jakub Smrz in yesterday’s afternoon session. The 999 F05 was quite destroyed, but thank a long night work the team has rebuilt the bike. Smrz could practice this morning, but the bike’s front closed suddenly in a water puddle at the hairpin and “Kuba” crashed once more, luckily this time no damages, but he had not been able to go on practicing, also if, of course, under the rain there was any possibility to improve yesterday’s position. “First of all I want to thank the team guys; they worked during all the night to rebuilt the bike.” commented Jakub Smrz. “Unfortunately the rain did not allow us to improve and more a stupid crash in a flooded point of the track forced me to join the pit. So we had just the free practice session of the afternoon to set the bike and we worked once more very hard. It has been a very unlucky week end, because before my troubles started I’ve seen that a got a good racing pace, to fight for the tenth position, and this result has been confirmed during the last free practice session. It would be a very good result for a private team like us.” More, from a press release issued by FGSport Group: VALENCIA SUPERPOLE TAKEN IN THE RAIN BY BAYLISS WET SUPRPOLE RULES USED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2007 The Spanish rain stayed mainly in the plains of Valencia before Superpole and this the ‘wet’ rules were introduced, giving each of the top 16 riders 12-laps in which to set their best time, and earn their final grid spot. The prime starting slot eventually went to Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox). It was his third such success of the 2007 season, and comes only two weeks after he had to have most of his right little finger amputated, following a race crash at Donington. The 2001 and 2006 champion had to ride throughout qualifying with a cricket box inside his leathers, to protect his injured groin, but he was a revelation on his way to a best ever SBK dry time on Friday and then his Superpole win. LOCALS WOWED BY THE PACE OF XAUS AS BROOKES JUMPS UP Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Ducati) scored a spectacularly popular second place on the Valencia starting grid, after a weekend spent in the top echelons of the leader board. The nine-time SBK race winner is getting to grips with the electronics package on his 2006-spec factory Ducati 999F06, and in wet or dry is expected to be a threat to the leaders in Sunday’s 23-lap races. Weather conditions are expected to remain changeable, a factor which may help third place Superpole rider, Joshua Brookes (Alto Evolution Honda) in the races. The former WSS race winner looked assured and confident in the wet, but knows he needs similar conditions on raceday to allow him to compete for the top places. The final place on the front row of the grid was taken by Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) who scored fourth, despite some lurid slides during his fast laps. CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER FIFTH FASTEST AS BIAGGI STRUGGLES James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) went fifth in Superpole, and was in the top end of the mix all weekend, despite not testing his latest electronics package here in March. He was in much better post Superpole shape than his main championship challenger, Max Biaggi (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra). The Italian Superstar was 12th after Superpole, clinging on to the last place on the third row of the grid. Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) pushed his way to sixth, one place ahead of Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia). Haga’s countryman, Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) was the last rider on row two of the grid. FABRIZIO FRONTS UP ROW THREE WITH MUGGERIDGE JUST BEHIND Michel Fabrizio (DFX Corse Honda) enjoyed his day in the rain, taking a strong ninth classification, with the second Alto Evolution rider, Karl Muggeridge, the last combatant in the top ten, fighting rear traction problems. Row three is completed by Ducati privateer Giovanni Bussei (Ducati 999F06) and the aforementioned Max Biaggi. NEUKIRCHER CRASHES AND GOES TO THE FOURTH ROW Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Germany) fell under braking in the wet Superpole and thus starts the races from row four, but behind him the factory Kawasaki riders, Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) and Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki) were unable to pick up their pace due to grip issues on the wet surface. They finished their pre-race preparations in 14th and 15th places only. The last Superpole slot was taken by local wild card rider Carmelo Morales (Team Laglisse Yamaha). Roberto Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) was a high profile non-qualifier for Superpole, 17th after the regulation sessions, with Shinichi Nakatomi (Yamaha YZF Team) 18th. Twenty-three riders in total qualified for the 23-lap races on Sunday. WORLD SUPERSPORT – CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER OUT FRONT AFTER WET SECOND DAY Having set the fastest time in the dry conditions of day one Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) scored his first ever career pole position in the 600ccc class. On the second day of qualifying wet track conditions ensured that none would improve on their opening day best, and this the final qualifying order on day two was a mirror image of Friday. Therefore Katsuaki Fujiwara (Althea Honda) will be second on the grid, Kevin Curtain (Yamaha SSP Racing) third and Pere Riba (Gil Kawasaki) fourth. Qualifying was still a close affair, with three seconds covering 30 riders and less than four seconds covering all 37 qualifiers. SUPERSTOCK 1000 FIM CUP – BADOVINI ON POLE With the second Superstock 1000 session proving to be wet, the leaders from the first day proved to be the same ones who would head up the final qualifying lists, and thus Ayrton Badovini (Biassono Unionbike MV Agusta) took pole, from Michele Pirro (Team Lorenzini by Leoni Yamaha) and Claudio Corti (Team Lorenzini by Leoni Yamaha). SUPERSTOCK 600 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP RACE – BERGER WINS Michel Berger (Team Trasimeno Yamaha) won pole, the race and takes the lead in the championship after Valencia, with 36 points, heading up Donington race winner Michele Magnoni (Bevilacqua Yamaha) by two points. Roy Ten Napel (MQP Racing Yamaha) was second at Valencia, with British rider Gino Rea (Beowulf Racing.com Suzuki) third. More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: A wet day in Valencia for HANNspree Ten Kate Honda Following a wet second day of World Superbike qualifying at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, HANNspree Ten Kate Honda’s James Toseland will start tomorrow’s 23-lap race from the second row of the grid. Team-mate Roberto Rolfo qualified in seventeenth position for a fifth row place. Both riders performed well in this morning’s second qualifying session, which was declared wet from the start. Each set a fastest lap a piece before Rolfo settled in fourth place and Toseland in sixth. However, the rainy conditions meant the existing best lap times were unbeaten and the Superpole entrants were determined by yesterday’s results. As the intermittent rain continued, the Superpole was also declared wet and all 16 riders took to the 4km track for a 50-minute session of 12 timed laps. The ever-changing track conditions resulted in a frustrating end to the day for Toseland. He recorded the fifth best lap time and a place off the front row of the grid for the first time this year. His team-mate Roberto Rolfo qualified in seventeenth place and therefore did not take part in the Superpole session. However, the Italian’s performance in the earlier free practice and qualifying session has given the team high hopes that he can turn his fortunes around in tomorrow’s race. Ronald ten Kate, Team Manager: “Wet Superpole is always an event of its own. It’s a pity that we just missed out on the front row because James has always been in the front row up until now. We have actually made a huge step forward in rainy conditions with the machinery. Now we can match the pace of the front runners. It upsetting for Roby that he missed out on the Superpole after the bad day yesterday. In today’s wet conditions he has really proved his capabilities. Now we just have to wait and see what the weather will bring tomorrow, but either way we are ready.” James Toseland: “It’s been a frustrating day for all of the team today. The track conditions kept changing all the time and the timing in Superpole was everything. I’m starting from the second row for the first time this year and I can’t say I’m happy about that, but tomorrow is another day so let’s see what it brings!” Roberto Rolfo: “I am disappointed again today to not have taken part in the Superpole, but there was no way to beat the times set yesterday in the dry. Despite all this, I actually had a good feeling on the bike today. I was in the top four in the second qualifying session, so if the conditions are similar tomorrow as they are forecast to be, I think I have a good chance of success.” More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati: BAYLISS (DUCATI XEROX) SHRUGS OFF INJURIES TO TAKE SUPERPOLE IN WET CONDITIONS AT VALENCIA Valencia (Spain), Saturday 14 April: Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) shrugged off his recent spate of injuries to take his fifteenth career pole position and third of the year in four races. Despite a lengthy excursion into the gravel during Superpole, the Australian found the damp conditions to be to his advantage as he took the top slot from the early pace-setter Ruben Xaus (Ducati). The final two positions on the front row went to the surprise of the day, Josh Brookes (Honda) and Troy Corser (Yamaha), but few riders completed their full quota of laps, preferring not to risk everything on the wet Valencia track surface. “I’m not going to dwell on my injuries because I’ve had enough time to get better” declared Troy. “I’ve come here feeling quite good and I was immediately quite happy with the way I felt on the bike considering my condition. The situation seems to be back to normal and the team and I are happy with the way things have gone. I think for anyone to ride around here in the rain it’s pretty dangerous and when I saw Ruben’s lap time I knew it was quite fast and that I would have to put my heart in my mouth to beat it. I came out of Superpole in one piece and hopefully we’ll get a dry race tomorrow. I’m also really happy to see Ruben back up here with me as we were team-mates in the past. I know what he’s capable of and I’m sure he’s going to stick his head in there tomorrow”. Lorenzo Lanzi was quickest in the wet final free practice session for the Ducati Xerox Team and then posted sixth quickest time in Superpole, just a fraction behind championship leader James Toseland (Honda). “I am quite pleased because I found the right feeling in the wet and in the free practice before Superpole I was the quickest” commented Lorenzo. “During Superpole, we waited a bit too long before going out onto the track, the riders ahead of me all went in before me and all improved their time. When I went in however, a few drops of rain came down and I was unable to improve. I feel OK for tomorrow and I am sure there will be two great races, either in wet or dry conditions “. Starting-grid: 1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 1m51.982s; 2. Xaus (Ducati) 1m52.085s; 3. Brookes (Honda) 1m52.199s; 4. Corser (Yamaha) 1m52.733s; 5. Toseland (Honda) 1m52.801s; 6. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 1m52.942s; 7. Haga (Yamaha) 1m52.961s; 8. Kagayama (Suzuki) 1m53.634s; 9. Fabrizio (Honda) 1m53.750s; 10. Muggeridge (Honda) 1m54.108s; etc. More, from a press release issued by Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra: 2007 Superbike World Championship Round 4, Valencia, Spain Circuit: 4.005 kms. Weather: Mostly damp Final qualifying, Saturday 14th April RAIN PUTS A DAMPER ON PROCEEDINGS TODAy. After yesterday’s dry conditions, today saw a damp track for most of the day, with Superpole declared a “Wet Superpole”. The Superpole session then saw the sixteen fastest riders have a maximum of twelve laps in which to set their quickest lap and determine their position on the grid. Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Yukio Kagayama struggled with grip problems, but managed to post the eighth quickest time overall and so end up on the second row of the grid. His team mate Max Biaggi also struggled this afternoon, mainly with front end problems, and ended up with the twelfth fastest lap and so will start tomorrow’s pair of 23-lap races from the third row of the grid. Troy Bayliss (Ducati) posted the fastest time in Superpole, with a lap of 1:51.982, just ahead of local favourite Ruben Xaus (Ducati). Third quickest is Josh Brookes (Honda), with Troy Corser (Yamaha) fourth. YUKIO – 8th, 1:53.634 Conditions today were very difficult and it was easy to crash. It was important to concentrate at every corner, otherwise big problems. It was slippery everywhere on the track and very hard to understand how much grip you had – or did not have. What happened in every corner depended on your luck! When I came back in at the end, I had to check my hair had not turned white with the stress! I hope it is dry tomorrow, but then we might have a different problem because I haven’t enough dry time to find a good set- up for the bike. MAX -12th, 1:55.196 I don’t think I have the best set-up yet on my bike so I cannot relax and ride it as a I want to. The problem in both the wet and dry is the front end feeling and that is stopping me from pushing hard. We had this problem when we tested here recently and we have not solved it yet. I know that I’ve always been in good in the wet in the past – normally in the top four – so to be this far down the grid is not such a good feeling for me. I don’t know what the weather will do tomorrow, but I’ll be trying my hardest in both races for sure. Final qualifying 1 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1:51.982, 2 Xaus (E-Ducati) 1:52.085, 3 Brookes (Aus-Honda) 1:52.199, 4 Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1:52.733, 5 Toseland (GB-Honda) 1:52.801, 6 Lanzi (I-Ducati) 1:52.942, 7 Haga (J-Yamaha) 1:52.961, 8 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki) 1:53.634, 9 Fabrizio (I-Honda) 1:53.750, 10 Muggeridge (Aus-Honda) 1:54.108, 12 Max Biaggi (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 1:55.196, More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Corser to start in fourth after a wet and slippery day The challenging weather that started on Friday continued throughout today, making riding conditions very difficult and slippery. A damp qualifying session this morning was followed by a wet Superpole, in which the top 16 riders go out at the same time for a maximum of 12 laps during a 50 minute session. Corser felt happier with engine changes that had been made overnight following on from yesterday’s initial qualifying session. These changes included trying some of the settings that had been used at Donington two weeks previously. Haga focused on continuing to find the right wet set-up. Overall, the wet conditions meant that everyone’s lap times were slower, with no one improving on their best times from yesterday. Track conditions did not improve at all for Superpole this afternoon, with sunshine but no dry line anywhere on the circuit. Corser had a good start to the session moving up to third position from yesterday’s provisional start position of sixth. With such wet conditions, he then waited to see the progress of other riders. Honda rider Joshua Brookes took third position on a flying lap, forcing Corser to try and reclaim it. Unfortunately, conditions were too slippery and he was unable to succeed and so will start from fourth tomorrow. Haga was one of the many to struggle with grip throughout the 50 minute session and moved down to ninth from fourth. He managed a flying lap with less than three minutes to go to take seventh place Kagayama. Team Yamaha YZF rider, Nakatomi, continued to try and improve with his confidence in the wet weather today. Having achieved a best qualifying position of 18th in this yesterday’s qualifying, he then spent today’s track time doing lots of laps to build up his confidence. The team is also trying various new engine and chassis parts this weekend, so focused on putting in as much track time as possible to maximize the best opportunity from these new parts. Tomorrow’s world superbike races will start with Bayliss (Ducati) in pole position after an impressive day’s riding. Local rider Ruben Xaus (Ducati) will start in second and Joshua Brookes (Honda) lies in third. Troy Corser (4th – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) “This morning we went back to the Donington set-up and that seemed to help. The engine and bike are working well and we have made some changes to the rear suspension set-up during the day. Unfortunately, none of these changes have given us the extra grip that they normally would, and that we need. It’s partly the geometry of the bike but we still have more work to do. My objective for tomorrow is to stay upright, especially if the track is as slippery as it was today.” Noriyuki Haga (7th – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) “Today I tried some rain settings but I have not yet found the best set-up for this possibility – we still need to work on the best rear tyre option as I can find good grip but no tyre life, or good tyre life but no grip. I am happy with a second row qualifying position and that I didn’t crash today in the wet! Today’s conditions were unbelievable with no grip anywhere. Tomorrow I will push hard for a podium finish at the very least, whatever the weather.” Shinichi Nakatomi (18th – Team Yamaha YZF) “I really don’t like the rain after a nasty incident I had last year, when I lost a lot of confidence. But, we had some success today finding a good set-up for the race. Tomorrow, I am hoping for dry weather though, and I want to finish in the points at the very least.” Massimo Meregalli (Team Coordinator – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) “This is our first time in the rain here at Valencia with the new R1, so we have been concentrating on preparing the bike as good as possible. Unfortunately, we haven’t found the best set-up yet so tonight we will check all the data and see what we can improve for tomorrow. I am very pleased with the front row position for Troy and the second row is fine for Nori, who has a history of making good starts.” More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist: TROY DISAPPOINTED WITH FOURTH! Despite finishing on the front row of the grid for tomorrow’s pair of 23-lappers, Troy was disappointed with the level of grip with his tyres in the wet. Today’s Superpole was declared a “Wet Superpole” because of rain and so Troy and the other fifteen fastest riders from regular qualifying had a maximum of twelve laps in which to set the quickest time. Although parts of the track looked dry, there wasn’t a dry line and Troy and the others slipped and slid their way round the 4.005 kilometre track as best they could. Troy Bayliss (Ducati) posted the fastest time in Superpole, with a lap of 1:51.982, just ahead of local favourite Ruben Xaus (Ducati). Third quickest is Josh Brookes (Honda), with Troy fourth. TROY – 4th, 1:52.733 Well I’m happy to be on the front row, but unhappy because I felt that my tyres weren’t giving me any real grip – especially when I was leant over. If I had pushed any harder, I would’ve crashed for sure. It’s not a good feeling to go into a corner and not have any feeling for what’s happening, but that’s more or less how it was this afternoon. At the moment, I feel a bit frustrated because I know how I can perform in the wet, but this afternoon I couldn’t ride as I knew I can. We’ll have to see how the weather is tomorrow, but I’m hoping for dry conditions. More, from a press release issued by HANNspree: A Superpole gift from HANNspree As the rider in pole position at round four of the 2007 World Superbike Championship, Troy Bayliss will be awarded with a special gift from official series sponsor HANNspree. The innovative LCD TV manufacturer will present the Superpole winner at every round with one of its unique products as a celebration of the rider’s achievement. At the start of tomorrow’s first World Superbike race, Bayliss will become the proud owner of the HANNSa.green television a fun and colourful apple-shaped model. The Ducati Xerox rider will receive his gift from the HANNspree girls on the grid as the race preparation begins. This is the second HANNspree gift for Bayliss, who also achieved pole position at the third round of the series at Donington Park. President of HANNspree’s European operations Kevin Chang explains why the company is keen to offer the prize: “We are proud to sponsor the World Superbike Championship and want to show our support of the riders by offering a gift to the Superpole winner. We would like everyone involved with HANNspree in World Superbikes to understand our fun and exciting philosophy and the best way to do that is to give them a taste of one of our most popular products. I hope each poleman enjoys his HANNSa.green TV!”